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Updated: Jan 29, 2026
Establishment of a Primary Culture of Patient-derived Soft Tissue Sarcoma
Published on: April 11, 2018
Drug sensitivity testing on patient-derived sarcoma cells predicts patient response to treatment and identifies
Bertha A Brodin1, Krister Wennerberg2,3, Elisabet Lidbrink4
1Department of Microbiology Tumor and Cell Biology (MTC), Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. bertha.brodin@ki.se.
Background:
Heterogeneity and low incidence comprise the biggest challenge in sarcoma diagnosis and treatment. Chemotherapy, although efficient for some sarcoma subtypes, generally results in poor clinical responses and is mostly recommended for advanced disease. Specific genomic aberrations have been identified in some sarcoma subtypes but few of them can be targeted with approved drugs.
Methods:
We cultured and characterised patient-derived sarcoma cells and evaluated their sensitivity to 525 anti-cancer agents including both approved and non-approved drugs. In total, 14 sarcomas and 5 healthy mesenchymal primary cell cultures were studied. The sarcoma biopsies and derived cells were characterised by gene panel sequencing, cancer driver gene expression and by detecting specific fusion oncoproteins in situ in sarcomas with translocations.
Results:
Soft tissue sarcoma cultures were established from patient biopsies with a success rate of 58%. The genomic profile and drug sensitivity testing on these samples helped to identify targeted inhibitors active on sarcomas. The cSrc inhibitor Dasatinib was identified as an active drug in sarcomas carrying chromosomal translocations. The drug sensitivity of the patient sarcoma cells ex vivo correlated with the response to the former treatment of the patient.
Conclusions:
Our results show that patient-derived sarcoma cells cultured in vitro are relevant and practical models for genotypic and phenotypic screens aiming to identify efficient drugs to treat sarcoma patients with poor treatment options.
Insights
Patient-derived sarcoma cells offer a practical model for drug discovery. This study identified Dasatinib as a potential targeted therapy for sarcomas with specific chromosomal translocations.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Genomics
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Sarcoma diagnosis and treatment are challenging due to heterogeneity and low incidence.
- Current chemotherapy offers limited clinical responses, primarily for advanced disease.
- Targeted therapies are scarce despite identified genomic aberrations in some sarcoma subtypes.
Observation:
- Patient-derived sarcoma cells were cultured and characterized from 14 sarcomas and 5 healthy mesenchymal primary cell cultures.
- Cells underwent gene panel sequencing, cancer driver gene expression analysis, and detection of fusion oncoproteins.
- Sensitivity to 525 anti-cancer agents, both approved and investigational, was evaluated.
Findings:
- A 58% success rate was achieved in establishing soft tissue sarcoma cultures from patient biopsies.
- Genomic profiling and drug sensitivity testing identified targeted inhibitors, including the cSrc inhibitor Dasatinib, effective against sarcomas with chromosomal translocations.
- Ex vivo drug sensitivity of patient sarcoma cells correlated with in vivo patient treatment responses.
Implications:
- Patient-derived sarcoma cells in vitro serve as valuable models for genotypic and phenotypic drug screening.
- This approach can identify effective drugs for sarcoma patients with limited treatment options.
- The findings support personalized medicine strategies in sarcoma treatment by matching drugs to specific sarcoma profiles.
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